A Knight with the Stars
by Storylady35
Summary: (AU - Scrap) Mike and KITT have been sent undercover to a race organised by a arms dealer not long after a top secret weapon has been stolen. However, they soon find themselves mixed up with an old grudge between two ex-Decepticons and an organisation bent on destroying the modern world. The next thing either of them know, they have one hellfire human on their case... and her car.
1. Chapter 1

**Edit: This story has been there in my head for months. I have never stopped thinking about it. It's always been there. But I've never had either the reason or the plot bunny to finish it and it has diven me insane since then. **

**But a few weeks ago, on DeviantART, the ****Cybertronians ****group posted a Mini-contest where you had to write a cross over story that includes at least one canon Transformer and one canon character from another fandom. **

**I thought about 'Knockout on the Track' story, my Top Gear meets Transformers story but the rules were it had to be a new story. So then I thought about 'Knight with the Stars'. And with the prize of the contest as motivation... all of a sudden, I could do it. I was in. I sat down and finished it. **

**I've decided to republish the first part as a whole new story, just for the heck of it. **

**_Old A/N: I hope you all did your homework! Because this is my Knight Rider and Transformer's Prime / Scrap crossover! I think I've written it in a way that even if you don't really know Knight Rider, you can still make sense of this story. Hopefully._**

**_A few months ago now, I read 'When Cars Meet' by Peaceblossom26. It is a short but really good crossover between Knight Rider (The 2008 version) and Transformers Prime and I fell in love with the idea so had to try it with a certain 'Star' we all know and love. _**

**_It's told from Mike's side of the story but I hope you enjoy._**

**_Also, it takes place AFTER the Alt ending to Scrap and as if Predacon Rising never happened. You'll see why._**

A Knight with the Stars

Michael Knight let out a long deep sigh as he looked out the side window at the building he was currently parked across from. "KITT, what do we have?"

"The building is a large warehouse, rented out by one Talick Montran, a notorious arms dealer and street race organiser." Came a monotone yet logical voice from the blue and red ball on the dashboard. "The SCC believes he is involved in the murder of several FBI agents who were transporting a prototype weapon. The weapon has since disappeared."

"Is the weapon in the warehouse?"

The car paused, running scans on the building, bringing up blue prints and the results on his front windscreen. "It does not appear to be. However, there is a large truck at the far side of the building that my scanners cannot penetrate."

Another irritated sigh came from the young man as he watched the door. "So, any idea why he has been inviting every fast driver this side of Nevada here?"

"It is possible that Talick is intending to find a driver to use in the transport of the weapon." KITT said, showing a map of the nearby roads, highlighting the distance to an airport, a train station and even to the boarder. "However, there is the possibility that this is merely a cover for the real transport."

"Possible KITT." He rubbed his face, stretching it out before gripping the steering wheel. "Only one way to find out for sure."

The black mustang purred into life before crossing the road from the shadows where he had been hidden and over to the warehouse. Rolling down the window he looked at the guards who guarded it. "Hey, I was told to come here… something to do with a race?"

The man nodded past him to the doors which were then opened, allowing KITT inside. The room was quite small, despite its appearance from outside but it was clear that the walls around them were fake, set up to narrow down the cars. A couple of cars were ahead of them, sitting on a conveyer belt while ahead was a check point for both cars and people.

Mike's eyes drifted to the blue ball. "KITT, possum mode."

Without another word, all of KITT's uncharacteristic and unnatural features shut down, leaving him as dull as any other car. Just in time as a knock came on his window and he stepped out. Two men faced him, one armed, the other having a certain geeky look to him. The geek nodded as his eyes drifted over the car. "Cool car man."

"Thanks, one of a kind."

"Aren't they all?"

"Hey, specs." The guard said, nudging him in the back with the butt of his gun. "Just get your job done and stop drooling over the cars."

'Specs' frowned but only when the guard's attention was on Michael as he slipped into the car and took out a strange radio looking device and swept it over the interior. Satisfied, he popped the hood of the supercar.

Michael wasn't able to watch what he was doing as the guard had escorted him to a line of others. "Wait here." He ordered then went to continue the process.

Clearing his throat, Michael stuffed his hands into his jean pockets and looked around him, scanning for danger and trouble. There were about five armed men and seven technicians, each one checking over a car on the conveyer belt. But as the line moved forwards, something else caught his eye. He was queuing alongside the other cars, most of them normal, everyday modified vehicles. But as the track they were on went on, going through an archway in the wall, one arrived beside him and it was unlike anything he had ever seen before.

Blood red with white zigzag streaks down the sides and bright yellow high lights on the wheels, the design was modified beyond recognition and the windows tinted dark. Unlike KITT, who was dull and designed to go unnoticed, this car stood out more than anything else in the room.

"Sweet." He found himself whispering.

The person in front to him in the queue turned their head to the side and looked at the car as well. "You should see him in action."

Turning his attention from the car, Michael looked at the person before him. He hadn't even paid a seconds attention to them but now he gave them his full attention. It was a woman, younger than Mike, in her early twenties at the oldest with short, ear length dark red hair and dark green eyes, an interesting and slightly unnatural look to her. She was wearing a pair of tight jeans and long black and grey boots while having a black jacket that zipped up at the front. Pardon her hair and her eyes, she was almost invisible but now she was looking at him, her eyes clearly scanning him while he had been a little more subtle in his gaze.

"Umm…." He said, just wanting to break her judgement. "Do you know the driver?"

"I _am_ the driver."

"You?" Michael gasped, hardly able to hold back his shock. The car and the driver were total opposites.

"And what do you mean by that?" She accused, turning around to fully face him. "Do you think a girl can't drive?"

"No, no no no, I know lots of girls who are great drivers! I just mean, you don't look like you drive… _this _car." He held both hands out towards the car, proving he was talking about the same car.

A smile replaced the frown the young woman had been holding. "Ah, well, that I can understand. I didn't exactly pick him, he picked me."

"Not telling me you believe that whole '_drivers doesn't pick the car, the car picks the driver_' thing do you?"

She gave a creepy smile. "Sure worked for me."

"Oi, you."

Turning back, the red head realised she was at the front of the queue and stepped over, Mike behind her. A guard stopped him before he got too close but he was able to watch as the girl stood on a small platform and a man ran a metal detector over her body. It beeped twice, once on a necklace she removed and handed over for inspection while the other was over her ear.

Mike felt his heart leap. Was this girl an agent? Was she wearing an ear piece?

But the red head didn't appear bothered by the discovery and simply pulled up her hair and turned to look to the side, revealing a silver band that ran around the back of her head between both ears. "It's a hearing aid." She said, clearly and calmly, loud enough Mike was able to pick it up. "Without this, I'm deaf so if you want me to talk, you better allow me to keep it."

The guards shared a confused look before one held out his hand.

A little reluctant, the woman removed the band and held it out, waiting with her hand on her hip as they inspected it. Mike watched with interest as the guards spoke to her but her meanly responding with hand sign language.

Knowing a little himself from his army days, Mike could know she wasn't being very polite. He was finding it a little hard to believe that the same woman he had been speaking to a second ago was now indeed unable to hear anything at all.

It took a few seconds but the guards handed back the device and the woman replaced it where it had been, hiding it with her hair. Then she was given a card and sent on to the other side of the wall, her car rolling on to join her.

As she drove slowly off, it was Michael's turn. The metal detector set off at his gun which he did not deny but the guards informed him he was not allowed it and would be returned at the end of the meeting.

He didn't kick up a fuss. The gun was a plant anyway. He didn't want these people thinking he was softy. He needed them to think he was tough and able to look after himself.

And it worked.

KITT was rolled to him on the track and he climbed in, closing off the door and driving off himself. "KITT, online."

The car came back to life quickly, the small 'eye' part of the ball looking to Michael. "Michael, I have detected that a tracking device has been implanted in my engine. Shall I block its signal?"

"No KITT, they will want to know what I'm doing and where I'm going until this is over. Leave it be." As they moved to the main part of the warehouse, Mike scanned the cars, looking for the red head. "KITT, I want you to do a background scan on the woman I was talking to in the line." He looked out the door and frowned. "There's something off about her."

"In what way is she 'out of date'?"

Parked, Mike reached out for an ear wig and opened the car door. "Quit it wise guy." He mumbled while stepping out and scanned the area. There was about forty cars and drivers around, all of them men, pardon the young red haired woman who was walking over to him. Mike was a little off put by the fact she appeared to have searched him out. "Oh, hey."

The woman nodded with a smile. "Hey. I just wanted to say sorry about that." She threw her thumb towards the check point. "I get a little touchy about my driving."

"No sweats." He laughed and held out his hand. "I'm Mike."

"Copper." She said, shaking his hand. "So, what brings you here?"

"Ah, you know… racing."

Copper's smile grew a little. "I see." She blinked a few times but then her eyes grew wide and looked to the car beside her. "Wow."

Looking at KITT, Mike nodded. "Yeah… that's my ride."

"Sure you aren't his?"

"What?"

"Nothing." She said, grinning while her hand reached out and touched the roof but then instantly she took her hand back, shaking it. "Oww."

Mike looked between the car and the girl as she looked at her hand. "You alright?"

Copper said nothing, just staring at her hand but then she smiled and looked at Mike. "Yeah. Just a bit of static, nothing to worry about."

Knowing that KITT was incapable of storing static, Mike looked at his super smart car and half held back a frown. "Yeah."

"Ah, I think the meeting is starting." She said, looking over to the truck KITT had been unable to scan as a platform rose before it, three men aboard it, one of them Mike's target, Talick Montran, wearing a high price three piece suit, hands out stretched to the applause he received form everyone in the room.

Everyone pardon Copper who just crossed her arms and frowned at him.

"Michael, this woman…"

"Not now KITT." Mike muttered as he clapped.

Talick patted the sound down until it came to an end. "Welcome everyone. Thank you all for coming on such short notice. Now, I know all of you as I'm sure you know me…."

"Murderer."

Mike blinked as his head turned to look at the woman beside him who had spoken and saw her face was pure anger and hate.

Talick hadn't heard her mumble and was continuing with his long winded speech about the race they were going on. Leaning over, Mike nodded. "Hey, you alright?"

"I'll be fine." She muttered back.

"But what was with the…"

"Just keep out of it Mike, and keep out of my way." She said, already moving away, disappearing into the crowd.

Amazed that she could vanish so quickly, Mike turned back to KITT. "KITT, what you found?"

"Nothing."

"What?"

"I have found nothing on that woman. She does not exist."

"That's not possible." Came Zoe's voice over the wireless. "We have access to every single database in the world. She must be someone."

"I am afraid Zoe that I have checked several times and I have found nothing. That woman does not exist."

Mike was already scanning the crowds again. "That means only one thing. Someone has deleted her. So she must be someone important."

"KITT, did you get a scan on her car?"

"I did Sarah."

"Then cross reference it and the name 'Copper' with all known databases. It might not be here that's important but her car."

"Like Mike is to me?"

Mike snorted at the insult. "Gee, thanks."

KITT was silent as he did his work. "Sarah, I have done as you requested and I have discovered something."

"What is it KITT?"

"I have found that the car does not exist either."

Mike could just imagine the intelligent, puzzled look on his old friend's face as she tried to get into the puzzle. "Ok… break the car down into its parts and see what you find."

"You do not understand me Sarah. The car is made of materials that do not exist. I have even detected elements in its formation that are currently unavailable to humans."

The pause was thick and dropped like a ton of bricks. Back in the SCC, Zoe and Billy sat at their computers with their mouths open.

"You mean…" Said the Asian woman.

"That Copper is a… a…" Billy choked, unable to say it.

Sarah snorted. "Not from earth?"

Quickly KITT transferred a bio scan he had conducted on the woman to the screens at the SCC. "No Sarah, the woman who calls herself 'Copper' is human. However she is biologically deaf and should not be able to hear, even with a hearing aid."

"But she can talk." Mike stated, becoming aware that there may be something more serious going on. "I spoke to her. She can talk and hear."

"I know Michael. The device on her head is indeed a hearing aid but its design is unlike anything I have on record and is made up of the same elements as her car. And I would also like to state, that she also has an unusual form of radiation attached to her which I did not want in contact with my systems."

"So that's why you shocked her?"

"Yes Michael."

"Michael!" Alex Torres' authority powered voice came over the line. "Your mission is to retrieve the FBI prototype. Not investigate this woman."

"Agent Torres is correct Michael." KITT agreed. "And it would appear you have missed the briefing."

Mike turned from leaning on the mustang's side to look at the platform, noticing that everyone was making their way to their cars and Montran was nowhere in sight. Swearing, Mike climbed into his car and let out a breath. "Please tell me you got what he said?"

KITT took a moment as he began driving, filling out of by a side door with the other cars. "I'm afraid I did not Michael, I was too busy researching the car and woman."

"Mike!" Torres roared, his face popping up on the screen. "This may be our only chance to retrieve the weapon. We cannot let it fall into enemy hands. You have to get the details of that race."

Just as Mike was about to argue back, something that had never happened before, happened to KITT.

He dinged.

The driver blinked at the red dot that was pressed into a firm line.

"I did not know I could do that." He said eventually.

A new face joined Torres on the screen, the old fatherly image of Dr. Charles Graiman. "KITT, what was that?"

"I appear to have received an email."

Mike's eye brow quirked. "You?"

"It would appear so."

"You don't have an email address."

"I apparently do."

If Mike didn't know better, he would have said the car was flustered. Saving the situation, Charles took over. "KITT, scan the email, check for any viruses and harmful software."

"Scanning. The message is clean but it does contain an audio file."

Mike nodded once. "Open it."

The file took up the screen, the peaks and troths showing the sound waves. _"Welcome everyone. Thank you all for coming on such short notice. Now, I know all of you as I'm sure you know me and you are no doubts interested in why you are here. I am sorry for keeping you in the dark for so long so allow me to enlighten you. You are all the best of the best…"_

"KITT, pause play back." Mike said, leaning back in the seat, allowing the car to drive. "Who sent the email?"

"It appears to be a custom made email address but I have discovered a code in the user name."

"And that would be…"

The screen soon displayed a long line of numbers, seemingly random and pointless but KITT took them and separated them into relevant partners before transposing each set of numbers with a letter.

The email address was a message all on its own.

_'You are welcome but don't follow me Decepticon .'_

The human frowned at the last word. "D…cep…t…icon?"

"I do believe it is pronounced, 'Decepticon'."

"KITT?" The driver asked, amazed KITT knew what the strange word was.

"I can only access a small file on the word but the general information I am gathering is that the 'Decepticons' are a violent force that should be avoided at all cost."

Mike smiled. "Well, we might have hit the jack pot here. Torres, if I am dealing with one of these… Decepticons, I really don't want to go in blind. I need info."

"Zoe, get on it." He delegated before turning back to the screen. "You in the meantime need to listen to that recording and find out what is going on. Don't forget, Montran is our target. We cannot let that weapon reach enemy hands."

"Right." Mike said but his eyes were distant, wondering about the red head.

~#~

Mike was irritated. He had listened to the recording over and over, getting the details correct. Montran had arranged a group of eliminating tests and races over the next week to find his ultimate driver who would win a prize of over 70 grand. Small change for a man like Montran but big enough to wet the racers' appetites.

The first one was the next night. With the tracker in place, KITT was unable to return to base so at the appropriate time, Mike rolled up to the meeting point where the other forty racers were and climbed out, instantly scanning for the red car and saw it but its driver didn't appear to be walking about and with the windows tinted, it was impossible to tell if she was inside.

He wanted to go see if she was but instead he went to checking in to the race, handing over the card he had been given the day before then went to a refreshments table that had been set up for them.

"Michael." KITT said over his ear wig. "I have reason to believe the weapon is here."

"Where?" He said softly.

"There is a large mass I am unable to reach in the building to your left."

He looked over to the building and judged it. "So it's possible the race is a cover for the real transport?"

"I believe so Michael."

"Right, KITT, you're going to run the race while I go into the building and investigate."

"Very well Michael. Shall I inform agent Torres of your plan?"

"Nar, he'll only make me wait for back up." Mike moaned as he began pushing his way through the crowd and looking for a way into the building. He eventually found an open window that he pulled himself through, dropping silently to the floor but his eyes caught something strange near his feet. "KITT, can you see how many people are in this building?"

The car silently scanned the building and highlighted the heat sources. "There appear to be a number of armed guards, positioned around the room I cannot detect. However, there is another form moving in a peculiar fashion."

"Yeah, I thought so." Mike said, looking at the foot prints in the dust. "Did Torres find anything out about these Decepticons?"

"I am afraid not Michael."

"Great." The man sighed then began creeping in the dark. "I need tens on these guards and the package.

"The package is ten meters down the corridor on your left. There is a guard approaching your location. He will be on top of you in three seconds."

No sooner had KITT spoken than Mike found the guard and took him out with a swift punch to the throat, grabbing him before he fell to the floor. But as Mike held him in his arms, a loud siren sounded above them and lights blazed.

"KITT! What's going on?"

"Michael, it would appear that the guards are wearing heart monitors. If they are knocked out, then it sets off the alarm system."

Grabbing a weapon from the guard's belt, Mike began hurrying down the halls. "You could have told me that sooner!"

"I'm sorry Michael."

Too busy keeping himself alive, the man didn't bother scolding the car, shooting two guards down as they came towards him. "KITT, where's the girl?"

"The girl, Michael?"

"Copper. She's the other body."

"I have lost track of her."

"How?"

"I do not know."

That took Mike by surprise but he just continued towards his target. Finally he found the door but it was open and the room was empty. "Dam it!"

"You said it."

He blinked and turned around and saw there was a woman stood in the doorway. It was the red head, Copper. "What are you doing here?"

"Could ask you the same thing." She sighed, looking around the room. "Dam it. It looks like they've been trying to get it to work."

Mike frowned as he turned around, watching at the door. "Hey, we need to get out of here, these guys are armed and…"

"Gone."

"Sorry?"

"They're gone." The woman said, still looking over at the wall. "There is no one left. When the alarm sounded they evacuate. With the device."

"Well don't you think we need to leave?"

Copper turned on him and rolled her shoulder. "Come on then Mike, let's go. What I'm looking for isn't here so no point staying." She walked over to him and calmly out the doorway, Mike behind her, weapon at the ready for danger but nothing happened. The building was indeed empty.

Copper even appeared to be heading for the front door, the woman looked over the road before jumping back and pressing Mike back with her arm. Just then a bullet embedded itself in the wood where her head had been.

Mike blinked. "How did you…."

"Knockout." She said, cutting him off and ignoring him while her finger pressed to her ear. "Knockout, come in. I need some help. We're pinned down by snipers." She blinked a few times then huffed loudly. "No I can't ground bridge! You know Jack said I can't."

Mike just stared at her, blank and confused. "Who are you…."

"Shut it Knight." She snapped, shooting his eyes at him. "Knockout, I mean it, you come pick me up right now! I don't care if you are winning the…" She stopped and let go of her ear. "Fine! Fine just stop complaining! Win your race! I'll deal with it." She looked over at Mike and rubbed her eyes. "Sorry Mike, we're on our own."

"Your partner's in the race?"

"You can say that." She chuckled then pushed him back a bit more avoiding another shot. "You do realise this is your entire fault."

"What?"

"If you hadn't taken that man out, the alarms wouldn't have sounded and we would still have a chance at the prototype."

Mike looked at her again, his mind boggled even more. "So you're after the weapon too?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"I developed it."

"You!"

Copper sighed and looked at him. "Look, why don't we talk when this is over?" She nodded to his weapon. "Hey, can I have that please?"

Mike looked at the gun then passed it over to her and watched as she checked it over and clicked it into space. "Right…." She said, pressing her ear once more. "Let's get these boys. Mike, stay there." And with that she stepped out into the doorway and fired four times.

Then just stood in the doorway, silent.

Michael shook himself out of the shock then reached out to grab her arm. "Get… get out of there!"

"No point." She said, walking out into the open. "I got them."

Carefully, Mike stepped out following her and saw there were four dead bodies on the floor, each armed with sniper rifles. "Wow…." He said, stepping over to the nearest man and looked at the perfect deadly shot to the throat. "That is impossible." He said, judging the distance and the targets. He turned back on Copper as she looked down at the floor. "There is no way you should have been able to do that."

"You're not me." She said with a smile and stood, throwing him the gun. Then she looked up the road. "And here come our rides."

Mike turned as well to looked down the road and saw the two cars, the red and the black coming towards them. Both screeched to a stop a safe distance from the bodies and the drivers. The female moved to the red one and leant on the hood. "Mike, I think we need to talk. Meet me tomorrow at the Avalunch point. Sunrise."

With that, she stepped to the passenger seat and climbed in. Then the car shot off.

Mike turned to look at KITT. "Ok, you got anything?"

"Only what I already knew Michael. There is indeed something… 'off' about her."

~#~

Copper was sat on the boot of her car, swinging her legs under her as she waited, looking up the road until an unforgettable red headband on a black car came into view. She smiled at him as Michael got out. "You're late."

"This place is hard to find."

"Welcome to my world. So… now that we are out here, where no one will over hear us, we can actually talk."

"Yeah?" Mike said, crossing his arms. "What about?"

"Like why the hell you were looking for the device?" Her eyes narrowed on him as she slid off the car and stood almost eye to eye with him. "Who do you work for Michael Knight?"

Mike pointed at her suddenly. "How do you know my full name?"

She grinned and stepped back, shrugging calmly then ran her hand through her hair. "I hacked your car's communication wave length and got full access to the SCC's database. I have to admit, it _was_ a bit of a challenge. You got some good firewalls in place."

"If you did, then you already know who I work for."

"Yeah. You work for the government." She said, leaning on the car and scanning him with her eyes. "I just can't find out if you work for the same area of the government as I did. But I'm beginning to think you don't have a clue what you are looking for."

"A prototype weapon stolen from the FBI."

"Wrong." She sang. "Wrong on all counts."

If there was one thing Michael didn't like, it was being given lacking or incorrect information. "Then what is it?"

"It isn't a prototype. It's an unfinished, unstable model. It's not a weapon, it's an energy source. And it wasn't stolen from the FBI. It was stolen by the FBI from me then someone stole it from them."

"So you… did create it?"

The woman nodded sadly. "But I never finished it. It was only an idea I had, something I toyed with in my spare time but I was never able to get it right. And then when I left, I made them destroy all my plans, models and designs but then I find out they went ahead and tried to create a full scale version of one of my prototypes?" She ran her hand back in her hair again. "Mike, this thing is unstable. If they try to power it up, even as small as it is, it will explode with a force equal to a 10 kiloton nuclear bomb."

Pale, Mike turned to his car. "KITT, get the Torres online, now!"

Copper stared past him to look at the car and saw a holographic image of a man appear. Torres looked at Mike who just frowned. "Why didn't you tell me this weapon is a bomb?!"

"What?! How did you…" His eyes drifted past her to the woman as she walked up behind Mike and looked at the display. "Ah, you must be Copper."

Copper crossed her arms. "You must be Agent Torres."

"Do you two know each other?"

"Only by name." She said softly. "He is the one who ordered my design to be created in full scale."

Torres looked very uncomfortable all of a sudden. "Wait… that means you're…"

"Scrap." She finished, leaning on the car's hood. "And you listen to me, Torres, I don't appreciate you stealing my work but what I hate even more is that you then sent this empty headed idiot in to retrieve it! I had everything under control until this frag head turned up."

Mike looked at her, wondering what a 'frag head' was. But then another voice came into life. "Scrap, you have no right to be there anyway."

Copper smiled as she stood upright. "Ah, I was wondering where you were. Those guys had a whole _day_ to research me. Raf's getting sloppy if you only just found out."

A man walked into the camera shot, Agent Torres side stepping to allow him access. "Give me a break Scrap, I do have other things to deal with pardon your misdemeanours." It was a young man but age and command showed in his eyes and his posture, his hair jet black and neat while he wore a business suit with a 'visitor' tag on the pocket.

The new comer lifted his head and looked at Mike. "Mr Knight, my name is Jackson Darby and… I have to apologise for Copper." He said lifting his head, eyes looking at the green eyed woman. "She can be a little rash."

"Get your ass over here Darby and I'll show you how 'rash' I can be."

Mike groaned to clear his throat. "Look, sorry to break up the love fest but every second we stand here chatting, the bomb is getting further away."

"It's not a bomb!" The man and woman said, almost at the same time and they looked at each other over the cameras. Jack coughed. "It's not a bomb Mr Knight. It's a completely carbon neutral power source. First of its kind."

Copper nodded and looked at KITT before nodding. Suddenly a hologram appeared on the front showing a round, donut like shape with something glowing in the middle. "I was working on creating way of transposing energon into electricity by using this containment field. With just a little bit of the raw material, it would create enough electricity to put out more energy than it actually needs to start up as well as small enough to be portable. It would basically wipe out the need for fossil fuels."

"A device like that would be invaluable to some destinations." KITT said out loud. "However it would also be valuable to many oil based business, just to keep it off the market."

"Yes but money was never my aim. I had… other reasons." She said, looking downwards. "However when the Army found out about the… 'problems' I was having with it, they wanted to turn it into a weapon." Copper continued. "You see, this is the problem." She pointed to part of the design near the middle. "Energon is naturally powerful source, even in its raw state but when it hits a certain temperature, it sort of… explodes. I haven't yet been able to find a material strong enough to contain the shear amount of heat it produces and stop the explosions without destroying the whole device and anything around it."

"Have you considered a poloyitratie coating on entranomatic steel?"

Copper froze, her eyes blinking and moving from side to side before she smiled and jumped up and down. "KITT you are amazing! I have got to try that when I get back to my lab."

"Wait a second!" Michael yelled. "How do you know his name?"

The girl turned to look at him then back to the video screen. "Jack, you haven't told them yet?"

Jack shrugged. "I… haven't got around to it yet."

"And they made _you_ the boss. Fine. I guess I'll have to do it the old fashioned way." She turned around and looked at the red car which had just been idly sitting where she left it. "Knockout, stop watching car adverts and show yourself."

Back at the SCC, Jack leant forwards. "This ought to be good."

Out on the hill, Mike looked at the car and it was still for a moment but then it rolled backwards and turned to face the pair. Then began moving.

Not moving forwards or acting like a car. Parts of it broke apart at seems and joints. For a nano second Mike thought it was like KITT, changing to a different mode. But this didn't. It went further. It became more and bigger.

Joints and features became apparent and it moved to stand up.

It took a couple of seconds but what now stood before him was what could only be called a very big sleek robot with the same red and white designs. The former car stretched himself from side to side at the waist. "Ah that's better." He said with a voice that matched his appearance perfectly; arrogant, powerful and lustrous. Opening his eyes, Mike saw they were a strange powerful red colour but then they narrowed in a very irritated expression. "You know, I should cut you up where you stand for messing up our mission, fleshy." He said before his right hand retracted into itself and became a buzz saw.

Without a second's hesitation, KITT instantly shot a laser towards the device and Knockout stepped back looking over his finish. Then he turned on the black car. "Watch it Mustang, I won't go easy on you next time."

"You cheated." KITT resorted.

"Will you two chill it?" Came a female voice with eyes matching the robot. "Honestly, the lot of you are like children!" She pointed at the robot who looked ready to speak. "Knockout, I mean it."

Mike held up both hands to the woman. "Ok, what the hell is going on here?"

She smiled and looked at Jack on the screen who nodded. "Michael, meet Knockout. He's a Cybertonian or a transformer, as some call them."

"Living breathing robots from another planet." Copper came in with. "And, I might add, a large contributor in the development of KITT. I do believe Charles got the idea from seeing images of the transformers."

"So… I'm like them?" KITT asked, scanning Knockout.

The woman shook her head. "A lot of your identity and software is based on them KITT, but you're nothing like them."

The band went from side to side but said nothing.

Knockout sighed and he knelt almost to eye level of Copper and Mike. "Look, I hate to state the obvious but don't we all have the same goal? Why don't we just work together?"

"I would have to agree with Knockout." Said the black Mustang. "Combining our resources would be the best way of achieving our shared goal. And the pair of you are both still in the race."

The woman pulled a face. "Knockout, if we work with them, you know the doc will get involved."

Mike was amazed but the robot shivered. "Ehh." He said but then looked back at her. "We need the help, we're out of our deep now. So come on, let's do this. We can't let this thing get out."

Looking to the ground, Copper thought then sighed. "What do you say Mike? Want to work together?"

Mike looked between the large alien robot, the girl and his own car. Then he just shrugged. "Why not?" He said, holding out his hand. "I'm in."

Copper beamed from ear to ear as she shook his hand. "Great, then let's go get a drink. After seeing Knockout, I think you need one."

Mike didn't argue. KITT was one thing. Knockout was something different all together.

~#~

A week had gone by since KITT and Mike had met the real Knockout and his partner and now saw how the two interacted at each of the races, how the girl was so protective of the robot and yet Knockout always behaved himself around others.

Each race, the pair were always in the top two, KITT being the only one to ever beating them but often only by a second. Mike almost envied them. They had a living relation, with emotions and sentiment while his best friend was with a computer, only able to analyse and diagnose 'feelings' but never experience them.

There was something Mike was beginning to get a little confusing at and that was her name. Torres and Jack called her 'Copper', Knockout always referred to her as 'Scrap' and KITT said her name was 'Eleanor'.

One day, before the last race, Mike asked her about it.

"Copper is a name I picked after leaving the Decepticons and joining Unit E." She explained while lying on her back under Knockout with a strange tool in hand. "You see to a cybertronian, scrap is a curse word so it wasn't really a good name to have in an establishment like Unit E. However, Knockout has known me for so long; he just can't get his processor around calling me anything but Scrap. And I left Eleanor behind me when I ran away from home. In a way each name is connected to part of my life."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, Eleanor was when I was weak, deaf and homeless. Scrap was when I was growing, learning who I am and learning my place." She grunted then climbed out from under the car, using Mike's hand to pull herself up to her feet. "And Copper… Copper is me realising who I am." She looked sideways at him. "Surely you know how a new name can change a person, Traceur."

Fortunately, Mike was use to her strange way of knowing things by now so just nodded. "So… what do I call you?"

"I guess you can call me Scrap. I normally only let my close friends call me that."

"You think of me as a friend?" He said, moving his hand towards hers.

Just then the car they were leaning on rolled backwards a few feet, sending both to the dirt. Scrap stood up first and brushed herself down. "Knockout what the frag was that for?"

Knockout didn't say anything. But he was saved by Talick Montran arriving and beginning the brief of the race. This race was going to be across the day, heading across high ways with a stop off point in the middle. Last three to the check point and the end were to be kicked out.

Scrap was already checking the route, looking for anything that might be dangerous. "It's just a race." She said at last. "There is nothing that could be a target anywhere on that route."

"Right." Mike replied as he climbed into KITT and opened the connection between the two cars. "Scrap, you there?"

"Of course." She said over the link and smiled. "So, what's the plan?"

"KITT, scan all the cars in the race. Is there any sign of the device?"

Flicking scans of each car on his screen, KITT discarded each. "There is no sign of the energy source here."

Scrap nodded in the screen. "KITT, run that program I gave you to search for energon."

A new program suddenly ran up on KITT's screens. "I have not detected any signs of energon or energon residue."

"So it's not here."

"In that case…" Came Knockout's voice. "We will see you two at the half way point."

That was when Michael noticed the race was beginning and the red car was already zipping through the other cars. The contact had been broken between them and Mike had no intention of talking while racing.

Taking manual control of KITT, he went zipping on around the other racers, eyes narrow in the thrill of the race. All the time he kept an eye out for his temporary partner. But Scrap and her cybertronian partner were miles ahead.

As time went on and the race progressed, the racers thinned out and he was left almost alone. "KITT, how many racers are ahead of us?"

"Three Michael and Scrap appears to be in first position. However the traffic is beginning to grow heavy. She will be required to slow down, reducing her advantage."

"Get her on the line."

The red haired woman suddenly appeared. "What do you want Mike?"

"The traffic ahead of you is thick. You need to slow down."

Copper narrowed her eyes with a childish grin but then cut the link.

"KITT, get her back!"

"I am afraid she is jamming all communications."

"That little… frag head." He said, beginning to see why she liked the expression. "KITT, switch to attack mode. We have to catch up with her."

"Switching to attack mode."

The transformation was swift and smooth, KITT's spoiler went up, his fins extended and three vents came out of his roof. Generally he became sleeker and perfectly slipstreamed. The speedo went up suddenly to well over 200mph, rocketing them along the road. Miles passed in minutes, the day beginning as they arrived in the thicker traffic and KITT changed back to avoid getting too much attention. Mike looked over the room. "KITT, where are they?"

"My sensors detect they are on the other side of the traffic city and already near the half-way point."

Mike blinked. "What?! How?! This traffic is near standstill!"

"The other racers have also detected the traffic and are taking routes to avoid it. At this rate, we will be in last place in ten minutes."

A picture appeared suddenly on the screen. "You need a hand?" Scrap said with a proud smile on it.

Mike shrugged, looking at the traffic. "Scrap, if I don't get out of here soon, I'm going to be out of the race."

"So you want some help?"

Mike leant back in the seat and frowned. "How? How did you get around this traffic?"

It took a moment before the girl nodded. "I'm sending you some coordinates. Give me a bell when you get there." And then she cut it off again.

"KITT?"

A map appeared, locking on the location. "She appears to be directing us to a parking lot."

"Anyway it will lead us around the traffic?"

"It would appear that it does not."

"Then what good is it?"

KITT's speech wave was silent.

Mike guessed he just didn't want to admit he had no idea. But if the woman could find his way around the traffic, so could he. He decided to follow it. Taking a small slip road, he left the highway and into a city.

It seemed stupid to be leaving the highway but he did as he was told until KITT stopped. "We have arrived at the coordinates." They were stood in the middle of a deserted top floor of a 10 story high parking lot.

"KITT, get Scrap."

The red head came into view, appearing to be stood outside her car. "So you made it?"

"Scrap, I don't see how _this_ is going to help me win the race."

The young woman smiled. "Drive forwards. As fast as you can."

"What?" Mike wondered, looking at the end of the roof. "You can't be serious."

"Do you want to win or not?"

"But…"

"In 20 seconds, drive forwards as fast as you can. And I mean exactly 20 seconds, not a second later." And again she went off.

Mike took a deep breath and looked ahead of him. "KITT, what are the chances of us… surviving the fall?"

"Probability of surviving a fall from this height without serious injury is 7.64%"

"And of us…"

"Michael, the time limit is almost over. Are we following her request or not?"

Mike thought for a second. "I trust her. Do it!"

Tyres screeched as KITT went into a mad spin for grip but then fired them towards the edge of the roof. Gripping the steering wheel tightly, Mike grit his teeth tightly. "Scrap!"

At the last second, when KITT was about to hit the walls and Mike was about to hit the break there was a crack and a swirling mass of green and white light emerged right ahead of them.

Unable to avoid it, the black car speed into it.

Feeling as if he was being thrown through a catapult on a roller-coaster, Mike felt his lunch come up into his mouth but before he could throw up, it stopped and he was able to open his eyes. Before him was Scrap and Knockout, stood out of a forest road. "KITT… what the hell just happened?"

"We moved."

KITT's driver door opened and Copper leant on the roof. "Congrats Mike, you just completed you first ground bridge."

"Ground bridge?"

"Cybertronian short range teleport." She said with a smile. "KITT, how you feeling? I was more worried about you than Mike."

"I do not feel Scrap. However, all my systems are operative."

"Thank goodness. I've never transported an AI before. I was a little worried."

"I appreciate your concern."

She looked at Mike then nodded. "You just jumped about five K. The two of us are now ahead of everyone in the race but it won't stay that way for long if we stay here so let's keep this short."

"Scrap, they are _tracking _us!"

"Oh please, surely you know me better than that." Scrap huffed, pushing back her hair. "I blocked it. According to their systems, we are taking several long side roads, having never gotten stuck in the traffic in the first place. Now, we have two minutes before the signals are on top of us and we have to move."

"What are we going to do then?"

She looked over at her car. "Knockout."

Knockout transformed quickly and looked at the trio. "You are a real idiot Mustang."

"I do not understand."

"The halfway point." He said, hand on his hip. "It's on top of an energon deposit. I knew I recognised that place. It's a class three too."

"Translation?"

"It's big and wide." Copper said with a nod. "If the device over loads there… it will wipe out half the state."

"Ok… that is not good."

"No. It's not."

"So you think they are going to set the bomb… I mean… device off at the half way point?"

"Yeah. But I don't get it. Talick Montran is an arms dealer, not a terrorist. And he would have to have knowledge on what energon _is_ to plan it like this." She sighed. "Someone else is pulling the shots here… someone who knows the cybertonians and how they…" She stopped and looked at Knockout.

The bot looked at her with the same look. "You don't think…."

"Has to be. Other than you, me and Unit E, only they know."

Mike huffed. "Who are _they_?"

Scrap swallowed and closed her hand into a fist. "MECH."

"MECH?"

"MECH." KITT announced. "An organization that seek to create a 'newer world order' through the application of cutting-edge technology. MECH gathered their technology by stealing it and leave death and destruction in their wake. However, according to Jackson Darby's files, the leader, Leland Bishop, also known as Silas, is dead."

Copper chuckled. "Oh, yeah, he is dead alright. I saw to his body myself. However, the head may have been cut off, but MECH still lives." She let out a breath and pushed off the car. "Right, we need to move. We still have the element of surprise but we don't yet know if it is MECH. So… let's get there and see for ourselves. Knockout."

The car soon transformed back to his other form, allowing Scrap to climb in. "Race you to the line KITT!" Knockout called.

Mike smiled and gripped the wheel. "KITT."

Sticking close behind the red car, the two super cars chased each other around bends and turns, sometimes Knockout up front, sometimes KITT. Both were really impressed by how the other handled their cars.

"Hey KITT."

"Yes Michael?"

The man smiled at the car currently alongside him. "How old was Scrap when she joined the Decepticons?"

"According to her file; eighteen."

Looking over her again, he smiled. "Well, that's younger than I expected. What was an eighteen year old doing with an alien army?"

"That information is missing from her file."

Michael hummed then saw the small bar by the side of the road and skidded KITT to the side, kicking up the dust while Knockout did the same. When it finally settled, the two drivers climbed out and looked over to see four men walking towards them from inside the building.

Talick Montran clapped his hands slowly as he stood before the two. "Well, well, well, this is unexpected. Two racers at once."

Copper shrugged. "Last time I checked, your rules said nothing about us working in teams."

"That I did. I guess you two are going to split the cash?"

"That was the plan." Mike said, leaning on KITT's hood. "35 each."

"But who knows." The woman said as she shrugged. "This is only the halfway point; I may yet lose him and take the whole thing for myself."

Talick chuckled at her, pointing his finger at her. "I like you kid. But this is as far as you are going."

"What?"

"This race isn't for little girls. I need a driver who can handle himself. You handle your car… I don't think you could handle what I need."

Copper choked back a gasp. "So you mean I'm out… because I'm a girl?"

"No." the man said. "You're out because I need someone who can take care of themselves."

"And you think I can't?" She laughed and stepped off the car. "I can look after myself."

"Look kid…"

"Why don't you try me?"

The man looked between the second driver and then at his guards. "Don't be too rough on her."

"Michael." KITT said into Michael's ear. "These men are ex-army, dishonourable discharge and highly trained."

Michael listened but for some reason, he wasn't worried. He had a feeling this girl could handle them.

And she did.

The two men stepped forward and went either side of the girl who just stood, waiting, her eyes watching them equally. When they made a move, she stepped out of their way, turning and kicked one in the gut before backing it up with a few well-aimed punches to the nose and throat. The men tried to get back up but she elbowed each in the neck and swept her leg under them, twisting one of their arms behind them and kicking them in the spine.

Talick stepped back as he looked at the girl as she stood by their unconscious bodies, sweeping her hair back into place. "Want to see how I am with a gun as well?" she said, holding up the handgun she'd managed to pinch during the short fight.

"No, I think… I think I've seen what I needed to see. You're in."

"I always was."

"Now, since the two of you are here, I might as well tell you that the race does indeed end here for the day. There is a hotel down the road, the first five get a room. The others; go home."

"Why did you tell us the race was twice as long?"

Talick smiled. "I wanted to ensure that those who win, wanted to win every point. I wanted those with a killer instinct."

"If the race is indeed over here…" Copper said, looking at her hand. "Then I need to go clean up. These guys are all… sticky."

The race runner nodded and held out his hand. "There is a bathroom around back."

Copper grinned then stepped over the men and towards where the man stated the bathroom was. Talick grinned as he looked over her back. "Yikes."

"Hey, eyes off!"

The man blinked and looked around blindly. "Who said that?!"

Mike coughed loudly, clearing his throat. "Sorry, frog in my throat. But really, eyes off mate."

Talick looked over the man and sighed. "Ah, she's your girl?"

Eyes drifting to Knockout, Mike gave a shy smile. "You… could say that."

"Well then, I will arrange for you to share a room at the hotel." As he walked away, Mike quickly ran over in front of Knockout, stopping him from charging after the human.

"Oi, cool it red eyes." He hissed. "Don't blow it yet."

The red sports car grumbled but didn't say anything. It wasn't too long before the fiery red head came back, wiping her hands on the side of her jacket, a look of disgust on her face. "Uh, no towels." She complained then saw how Mike was standing in front of Knockout and her lips curled while her eyes drifted to the car. "Knockout, what did you do?"

"He spoke to Talick." Mike hissed when he was close to her. "If I hadn't been here…."

"Relax Mike." Copper said, patting his shoulder. "Let's just head to the hotel and get cleaned up."

"Ah yeah, about that…."

~#~

"So…."Mike said as he leant back on the double bed. "What's the story with you and Knockout?"

Copper was sat by a mirror, running a comb through her hair. "What are you talking about?"

"Well it's just… he's very… weird about you. When Talick was looking at you… he told him to keep his eyes off."

The woman laughed. "Wow. I'm amazed that's all he did."

"What do you mean?"

"Men who pay me too much attention… often go missing."

Mike's eyes widened at that thought. "You mean like… missing or… bottom of a lake missing?"

She shrugged a shoulder, busy checking herself in the mirror. "I don't know. I mean there was this one guy once who was hitting on me at this bar once… and he wasn't getting the hint. Then he went to bathroom and… I never saw again. But Knockout had moved outside."

"So… are the two of you… a thing?"

Scrap turned sharply to face him, her face twisted in disgust. "Eww! No! Primus no! For a start, we different species." She shuddered a little. "Ah I can't believe you actually asked that!"

Holding his hands up in defence, Mike jumped from the bed. "Ok, I'm sorry! I didn't… it's not like I know anything about these things. I've never met a… alien before. It's just… he is really protective of you."

The woman sighed softly while leaning on the wall as she messed with something in her hand. "I guess he is. But Knockout looks on me like I'm his sparkling."

"Sparkling?"

"A young cybertronian. Basically he looks on me like I'm his daughter. He just wants to keep me safe."

"But you can fight. You don't need him to look after you."

She shrugged at the compliment. "Maybe. Airachnid and Dreadwing taught me very well… but that doesn't mean I'm unbeatable. I can look after myself yet always know Knockout has my back."

Mike frowned. "Who are… Dreadwing and Airachnid?"

"Other Decepticons. Dreadwing is with the AllSpark now and Airachnid was banished to the moon of Cybertron." She sighed sadly before beginning to put her boots on. "I'll never see either of them again."

Sensing things were going to move, Mike began putting his own shoes and jacket on. "So there are more of them?"

"Hundreds but Knockout and Ratchet are the only two still on earth."

"And who's Ratchet?"

"The Autobot medic. Bit grumpy but you get use to him." She gave another loud long sigh. "I miss them sometimes, they had a way of just… cheering me up."

"What happened?"

She grunted, stretching her arms out. "The war ended. Megatron, our leader, was killed and the cons abandoned ship. And they left me behind to the mercy of the Autobots. And it was mercy. After all I have done, I should have been killed, or at least locked up. But Optimus Prime thought I dissevered a second chance and recommended me for Unit E."

"Why did you leave?"

The woman grinned as she attached a strange gun to her side. "Too many rules." She said then nodded. "Right, shall we go? If the device is here, night would be the time to set it up."

Sticking a normal hand gun in his back belt, Mike nodded. "After you."

Pulling a dark hood up over her hair and nodded to the door. Knockout and KITT were only across the road from them but the two humans didn't go near the two, instead snuck around the back of the hotel and into the forest.

In pitch black, Mike had to allow time for his eyes to readjust but Scrap was already making easy progress.

"Scrap." He hissed, making her stop. "Slow down, I can't see."

The woman grunted before reaching out and taking hold of his arm, pulling him to her side. Then she reached into her jacket pocket and placed something over his ears, looping around the back. "There. Better?"

Mike couldn't help but stand there, blinking as he looked forwards. His vision was all of a sudden perfect night vision, staring at the woman before him. Even stranger was that there were lines of text appearing before him, telling him what each small animal and heat signature was. "Ok… what the hell is this?"

"It's the new version of my headset." She said, already walking again. "It's not finished but it will allow you to see and will alert you to movements."

Following, Mike moved his head from side to side. "Do you always see like this?"

"I can turn it off."

"So how does this thing work?"

Scrap sighed, stopping again, looking around the forest they were in. "Quick version? It takes electronic signals from the brain and translates them to the wearers will and vice versa. That headset is basically a super computer equal to KITT. Just think and the headset will do the rest."

"So if I wanted it to call KITT…."

A line of numbers appeared at the bottom of his eyes suddenly. "Michael." Came KITT's voice. "Is everything going to plan?"

"Yeah KITT, I'm just… testing something out."

"KITT." Scrap said as she stopped, crouching down. "What's going on at your end?"

"There are two men approaching your hotel room." KITT was warned.

"Frag! It's too soon. Knockout, stall them."

"On it." Came the arrogant cybertronian voice over the headset.

Back at the hotel, the two men were using a master key to open the door, each of them armed. What no one noticed was that the car behind them, rolling from his parking slot until he had a perfect shot. As the pair pushed the door open, a panel at the side of the red car slid to reveal a small weapon. Just as they stepped in, it once fired and the pair slumped inside, the door swinging behind them.

Knockout then rolled back to his spot.

Beside him, KITT's headband glowed for a moment. "Nice shot."

Had Knockout been in his root mode, he would have grinned. But then the two cars picked up other cars coming towards them and KITT ran their plates quickly. "Michael, there are other men arriving, in vehicles registered to several of Talick's aliases."

"Basically Scrap; they are looking for you."

Back out in the forest, Scrap nodded to Mike. "We need to move, now."

Mike nodded. "KITT, Knockout, move out and lead them away."

"On it."

"Michael, if you need assistance I will be unable to help you."

"Hey, blinkie, he's got Scrap with him, he'll be fine." Knockout groaned, roaring into life loudly just as headlights came down the road. "Now get your aff in gear and roll it!"

KITT said nothing, he just came to life himself and rolled backwards to turn around as the other sports cars arrived, blocking their exit. Suddenly each door opened and men with machine guns jumping out, pointing the weapons at the cars. "Freeze! Cut the engines and get out slowly. Both of you."

The two cars remained still before Knockout's rear tires screeched against the ground, kicking up dust and dirt in the process before he charged at the cars. The gun men instantly opened fire but the cybertronian just took the hits, thanks to a new shielding Scrap had developed a few years ago for him. At the last second before collision, he swung sideways and went onto the steep bank of dirt at the side, skidding around the gunmen in a way that no normal car could.

When the car hit tarmac once more, he span and stopped, looking back at the shooters. "Well, come on then!" He yelled back.

Behind the other cars, being shot as himself, KITT's tires span then shot him forwards towards the gunmen until he used his turbo boost to fly over them, landing roughly on the other side and shot past Knockout who was soon on his retreating taillights.

As the two raced side by side, the red one huffed. "Show off."

Meanwhile, back out in the forest, tracking their way back along towards the bar the race had stopped at a while ago, Scrap and Michael shared a look that just told each other, they knew what it was like to have a showing off car then carried on walking.

Finally the pair of headsets detected an increase of heat and light, slowly lowering the night vision until it was all but shut off so not to blind the pair. They slowly peered over the brink of the hill, looking at the lights and building. There were some cars were out front, two sporty flash cars but as they watched they were joined by a big four by fours in dark green, a man climbing out of each door.

Scrap nodded, drawing her weapon from her side and kept low as she walked over to the bar's side wall and leant against it, Mike behind her. With him covering her back, she checked her hood was up over her face and stood up, looking through a window, scanning the inside of the room.

There was Talick and two of his men, stood before a table covered with small strange looking parts. Then the door opened and three armed men in tight black uniforms with their faces covered came in. A fourth man joined them but this one was tall, skinny and had sharp features to his aging face.

He looked at the gun runner and began to speak but so softly, Scrap couldn't hear them. Looking around the room, she spotted a land line telephone on the wall, used by the bar visitors to call for taxis. With a bit of quick reprogramming, she was able to access it and listen in, patching Mike in as well.

Talick was currently looking a little confused. "What? Why do you need my phone?"

"In case it is being used to listen in on us." Said the only unmasked man, his hands behind his back as he stood tall and proud. "Over the years I have come not to underestimate the strength of our opponent. They are more resourceful than you would believe. Now, you and your men will hand over your phones and put them in this box. You will have them back when our business is finished."

Huffing, the arms dealer did as he was told and put his phones in the box the stranger was offering them, followed by the four of his men.

With the box locked, it was placed on a separate table in the bar. The tall man nodded. "Good. Now then, you have done as asked."

"Of course." Talick said proudly, waving at the collection of things on the table. "Just as you ordered Carlos. Each piece was hidden in one of the cars then taken out at the half way point today."

Carlos nodded as he picked up one of the parts and looked it over. "Excellent. You have played your part well Talick."

"Well, for two million, it was a pretty easy task. Talking of which… you got the cash?"

"It's in the case." He said, waving at one of his men who held the metal suitcase. "There is only one thing." Carlos said, putting down the piece in his hand. "Pardon the two I kept hold of, the device was separated into 40 pieces _exactly_." His calm demeanour suddenly vanished as he slammed his hand down on the wood. "There are only 39 here!"

Fear flashed over Talick's face as he backed up and his men drew weapons, pointing them at the masked men. The other group didn't move. Their leader frowned at the other man. "Where is the last component Talick!"

Talick swallowed, hands up in surrender even when it was his side with all the weapons. "It… it's in the Mustang!" He babbled. "We haven't been able to get it back yet but I sent my men to go get it. They should be back any minute."

"Mustang you say?" Carlos considered, his voice once again calm and dignified. "Odd car to be in a race like this."

"Yeah but it's really fast. We couldn't get close because of the driver's partner. Every time we tried, one of them would turn up."

Again, Carlos paused. "Partner?"

"Mustang's got this really hot girl on his team. Drives a red foreign sports car. I've never seen anything like it!"

"What does she look like, this… girl?"

Talick held out his hands and began sculpting the air. "Ah you know, round here, flat there and…"

"Her eyes, you idiot! What colour are her eyes!"

"Oh…." Talick managed. "Green. Red hair, green eyes."

The other man smiled. "It is her." He turned suddenly to look at his men. "Search the surrounding area. She might already be here. And find that car."

"Umm." Talick said, holding his hand up. "Surely _she_ will be in her car?"

The man turned on him and frowned then drew something from behind his back and fired the small silver device at the lot of them, taking them all down in a single silent hit.

Outside, Scrap dropped from the window and beckoned the SCC operative to follow him just as the men turned the corner. Carefully, Scrap lifted up a door into the cellar of the bar, closing the door silently behind them as they stood in the dark, night vision once again active on the headsets.

Kneeling near a wall, Scrap held her weapon on the trap door. "Knockout, KITT, what's your position?" Scrap hissed.

KITT answered. "We are currently ten miles from your position, leading our pursuers away from your current position."

"Good. Keep going and don't let them stop you. KITT, you have a piece of the device hidden inside you and Knockout you have full right to transform and use force if needed. I need you to call the doc and tell him to get the bots down here now!"

Knockout's voice was filled with concern when he spoke back to us. "Scrap… what's wrong?"

"It is MECH. And they have the device."

"Indeed we do." Came a voice before the cellar's light turned on. Scrap's headset was fortunately a second faster than the lights and turned the night vision off before the pair could be blinded but it still left both of them dazed.

When they could see again, they were faced with six of the masked MECH operatives, all pointing guns at the pair while Carlos gave a cold smile. "We meet at last Scrap."

Quickly Mike lifted his gun up and faced the group. "Drop the weapons." He said bold and brave, army training kicking in.

"Save your strength Mike." The woman said, throwing her own weapon to the side, away from herself and everyone else then lifted her hands. "These guys don't mess around."

"Indeed we don't." Carlos agreed as Mike put his weapon on the ground and lifted his own hands. "It's good to see you still remember us, Scrap."

Copper kept her eyes locked on him. "I knew MECH was still alive. After all these years, I just never had the proof."

"With you and Unit E on our trail, we had to go underground." He stepped forwards, always keeping a distance to her. "But Silas was a fool not to realise how dangerous you were. And what an asset you were."

Her eye narrowed on him. "If you think I'm going to help you… you have another thought. I'd rather die than help you slag heaps."

Carlos just smiled at him. "I knew you'd say that." He nodded and slowly the armed MECH operatives stepped forwards, three each, one keeping a gun pointed at their chests, the other two stepping behind and binding their hands behind their backs, removing Mike's headset but leaving the woman's alone.

Mike grunted as they locked his arms behind him but Scrap didn't say a word or made a sound as she was tied up and lead at gunpoint up into the main bar, Talick and his men were still lying on the floor where they had fallen.

But Carlos didn't stop there; he led the pair and his men out the front of the bar to the main road.

It took a moment but then headlights came down the road and two four by fours came down the road, each on towing another vehicle.

One a black mustang, the other a red sports car. Both of them still and silent.

Scrap felt her heart flicker as the cars stopped and showed their targets. "Knockout!" She yelled, stepping forwards towards the red car but MECH just grabbed her arms and pointed weapons at her. She didn't stop struggling so the men butted her in the back with a gun, knocking the wind out of her and sent her to her knees.

Mike flinched at the attack but then drifted his eyes to KITT who was also silent.

The woman finally had enough strength to look up and cough. "What have you done to him!?" She hissed at the leader.

"He's only stunned." Carlos informed her. "But this…." He held up a small vial in his hand. "This is to make sure you listen to us."

Suddenly he threw the container onto Knockout's hood, smashing it in the process and releasing strange dark blue electric worms that began to zip across his form, crackling on his skin and causing the joints of his transformation to move and break apart while at the same time, there was a painful, scream like sound from the car.

Scrap also screamed from the ground. "No! Knockout! Let him go! Stop it! I'll do what you want just please don't hurt him!"

Carlos smiled coldly then reached out and placed a small black device on the bonnet, stopping the worms that then fell still. Then he turned to the woman, walking over to her and grabbing her hair to pull her to her feet, dragging her back inside.

Mike was pushed inside as well, watching as Copper stood over the table of bits. Carlos nodded to it. "No doubts you know what I want you to do."

Tears in her eyes, Scrap nodded. "You want me to rebuild it."

"Yes. And you have ten minutes. After that, I kill the mustang. Then you have 15 and I kill this guy." He pointed to Mike who was being forced to his knees, a gun at his head. "And after half an hour? Then your partner gets it. Then it's your turn."

Holding his breath, Mike watched the display. Scrap would perhaps sacrifice him and KITT. But not Knockout. He had never known anyone scream like she did seeing him hurt.

It didn't surprise him to see her nod, then Carlos turned to his men and also nodded, ordering for her restraints to be cut. "You have ten minutes."

Rubbing her wrists, the young woman kept her eyes on the disassembled device before her. She blinked a few times, bringing up the design on her headset and starting a ten minute countdown. "I'm going to need some tools."

A handful of high tech looking tools were placed on the table beside her and Carlos frowned at her. "Ten minutes."

"I know." She took hold of the screwdriver and began fixing the energy source.

* * *

**A/N: So this is where I left the story before, on the Scrap story as a bonus chapter. Now its a whole new story. Next chapter is the new one.  
**


	2. Chapter 2

Panic had set in at the SCC. Ten minutes ago KITT had been flying down the roads, no one near or around him pardon the cybertronian, Knockout.

Then he went dark.

Charles Graiman and Sarah were doing all they could for the car, trying to get him back online, running over the last few seconds of footage to understand what had happened.

"Dad!" Sarah said, looking at her screen. "Dad, look!" She pointed to a massive spike in KITT's readings. "Right before KITT went dark; there was a huge jolt of unidentified energy. Now I've cross referenced it with the data Jack provided us with…"

Her dad was leaning on her shoulder by then, looking at the information. "It was energon. KITT was stuck with a massive bolt of energon which has overloaded his systems."

Sarah was already bringing something up on a screen. "Jack!"

Jackson Darby suddenly appeared via video link as he appeared to be driving. "Sarah, what is it? I'm a little busy at the moment."

"Jack, KITT was hit by a bolt of energon. We need to know how to compensate for it and get him back online."

Jack looked confused and lost. "Errr…."

"Can you send an electromagnetic signal to his systems?" Came a sophisticated yet grumpy voice from nowhere.

Sarah blinked, sharing a glance with her father. "Umm… yeah."

"Then send one of just under 3 teslas to his systems. It will demagnetise the energon and restore his systems." The voice grumbled. "Now if you don't mind, I'm _busy_!"

Jack sheepishly looked at the camera but then rudely it shut down.

The geniuses at the other end blinked at each other but then began to work, locating KITT and activating remote programing. It took a while but they did get in and sent the magnetic signal.

Three seconds later, KITT was back but silent, drained by the energon attack. He took a moment to scan and analyse his surroundings.

"Sarah, I have lost contact with Mike yet he appears to be alive and being held at gunpoint. Copper is with him and Knockout appears to be… _unconscious_." He paused on the word, not sure if it was in the right context. "There are several men surrounding the bar and all of them are armed. Copper stated that they were 'M.E.C.H.' operatives."

"KITT can you contact Copper?"

Quickly KITT loaded up the email that Scrap had sent him a week ago and entered a reply. _Scrap, are you receiving this?_

Inside, Scrap swallowed and blinked, not pausing in her work. _Yes KITT. It's good to hear you're alright. What's your condition?_

_The energon blast has disrupted several of my systems. I am operational but not at full capacity._

_What about Knockout?_

_He is currently unresponsive. I have scanned his systems and am sending you the semantics of the chemical applied to his exoskeleton. _

Clicking things together, Scrap donated a few seconds to scan and analyse the thing before her hand closed into a fist. _It's cybonic plague. KITT, Knockout is in real danger. I have no idea how but M.E.C.H. have altered it, gained control of it._

_I have no reference for such a disease._

_I could go into details on it but right now, I need your help. If I don't finish this device, we are all done for. I'm sending you a formula, it's the cure for the plague; I need you to replicate it and administer it to Knockout's systems. I can only hope M.E.C.H. didn't change it too much._

_It will take me a while to create such a complicated formula and remain undetected._

_Do what you can. Did Knockout get in contact with Jack?_

_Yes. He did and Jackson Darby told him to 'hold on'. _

_We have to do the same. I have six minutes to finish before they shoot you. _

_I do not believe I could cope with another one of those energon blasts._

_I know. That's why I'm hurrying. KITT, concentrate on creating that cure. Please. I can't lose Knockout._

Knowing she was no longer alone, and that the M.E.C.H. men surrounding her had no idea KITT was active just outside, Scrap went back to her work, watching the count down.

Carlos stood at the other end of the table, a weapon trained constantly on her as he watched her work. At three minutes to her deadline, the woman's actions became slightly more rushed and she swallowed. "There…" She said at last after looking around the table. "There's a piece missing!"

The leader of M.E.C.H. nodded as he stepped over to her. "Of course." He said coolly, reaching inside his coat. "I kept the energon source. Now…" He placed the small glowing circular device on the table then lifted a gun to her head. "Finish it."

The human stared at the device for a moment. "Why are you doing this? Just to kill without reason?"

Carlos frowned, pressing the gun closer to her temple. "Finish it."

She froze but then picked up the energon, placing it in the middle of the device, still with a gun to her head.

Standing behind her, the man nodded. "Turn it on."

"You stole it and had no idea how to use it?" She chuckled, looking over her shoulder. "Bit of a gap in your plan."

"Turn it on."

Scrap kept eye contact with him while accessing her emails. _KITT, progress?_

_I am almost finished creating the antivirus._

Slowly she turned back to the device on the table, fiddling with a few switches and dials._ Almost isn't good enough. I'm setting the device to its lowest setting but that will give us less than ten minutes. _"There." She said aloud as she finished.

Carlos nodded to his men and two of them stepped out from the side and took the device between them, carrying it carefully outside. M.E.C.H.'s leader then turned his attention to the woman before him. "Turn around."

"Why?" She asked, eyes set and determined. "You too much of a coward to shoot someone facing you?"

On the floor behind him, Mike stared in disbelief at the stand-off but he wasn't the only one. The man behind him, the one pinning him down, was staring at the two, wondering if Carlos really would shoot.

Just then there was a loud explosion from outside and most of the bar's roof was torn off, two walls disintegrating in the attack.

Carlos turned to see what had caused it and found himself face to face with a large blue and red cybertronian his predecessor had tried to copy.

Optimus Prime.

Before anyone could do anything, Mike moved, elbowing the surprised guard in the gut, making him bend over to receiver another in the nose and a final blow to the back of the head, knocking him out.

At the same time, Scrap made her own move, grabbing the gun pointed at her and twisting the arm holding it to the side and jabbing the elbow to make Carlos release the weapon before sprinting towards the missing wall.

There was a large collection of weapon fire going on outside and it was clear that Optimus wasn't alone. A full on battle had erupted between M.E.C.H. and Team Prime.

Somehow Carlos pulled himself up from where Scrap had thrown him and drew another weapon, firing on the human as she aimed to escape through the hole.

"Kill the cybertronians!" He bellowed as he ran to the front door and a car that would no doubts be waiting for him.

Leaping to the ground outside, Scrap grunted as a fire shot up her body. "KITT! Now!"

With four other cybertronians around him, the AI's head light glowed brightly as he came back to life, revving his engines to startle those around him while firing a laser on the black block on Knockout while also shooting some dark brown, oil like liquid to his side.

The worms that were zipping across the frame were suddenly drawn towards the oil and fell limply to the floor, the screaming stopping after a moment.

The other Autobots were busy firing on the humans on the ground and the vehicles, sending them exploding into fire balls.

At the same time, Scrap limped her away over towards the battle, weapon at the ready when she saw the shape of Carlos jumping into a blacked out jeep, soon speeding away from the site. Gritting her teeth against the pain, she leapt up and fired on the car but it soon vanished down the road.

Between KITT, Optimus, Bulkhead and Ratchet as well as the team of Unit E soldiers they had brought with them, the M.E.C.H. operatives were swiftly rounded up, kneeling on the floor with their hands on their heads.

Above them, Optimus returned his hands to normal and retracted his battle mask. "Bulkhead, Miko, stay here with the team and see to it that these men are taken into custody." He turned to the red rouge. "Knockout, what is your condition?"

The bot moaned before he clearly tried to transform but when nothing happened, he eventually gave up. "I… I can't transform. There must be something wrong with my T-cog. I can't… I can't even move!"

Prime nodded. "Ratchet."

"We've got bigger problems." Came a painful voice and everyone turned to see the red haired woman limping over, holding her side as blood leaked over her side. "Carlos got away with the device." She grunted and slipped but Mike was able to grab and hold her up. "We have got to go after him."

"We shall Scrap but for now, you need medical attention."

She shook her head to the Autobot leader. "We don't have time. I was forced to activate the weapon. We have less than ten minutes before it goes off. And if that happens, a lot of people are going to die, with or without the energon vain."

Mike nodded as he led the human to her car, helping her lean on the side. "KITT and I are the fastest. We will go after him."

Cringing at her wound, she sighed. "Even if you got to it, you wouldn't be able deactivate it. I'm the only one who can and I'd need Knockout's tools to do it."

"Then what do you suggest?"

Her eyes looked up at him with a strange smile. "We trade."

Mike blinked in confusion. "What?"

"Knockout can't move and I can't drive. You drive Knockout, I'll ride with KITT."

Looking between the other robots, Mike swallowed then nodded. "Alright. I'll stop Carlos, you follow in KITT and deactivate the device." He lifted her arm over his head and lead her carefully to KITT's side.

Knockout gave a whine, trying to transform again but then just sank down. "KITT, you take good care of her alright?"

"My main programming is for the preservation of human life." KITT replied as he opened his doors so Scrap could limp inside.

Still holding her bleeding side, Scrap hissed as she sat. "Don't worry about me Knockout. You're the one who's going to get ridden."

The Japanese woman snorted as she kept her weapon trained on the M.E.C.H operative. "That sounds like such a dirty joke."

Scrap couldn't help but smile but then the door closed while Mike climbed into Knockout's driver's seat and looked over the alien controls. "Ok, this… is a whole new level of weird."

"Tell me about it." The car grumbled back. "Just take it easy on the breaks."

Gripping the wheel tightly, Mike took a deep breath then hit the gas, shooting off down the road with a roar of power and aggression. The car clearly tried to fight him but his wounds soon made him stop. The red car was soon shooting down the roads after the four by four that had taken Carlos from the attack.

"Alright." Mike nodded, kicking the car up a gear. "Let's see what you can really do."

Instantly the speedo hit the hundreds and they bolted down the road, a streak of light against the dark night backdrop. Knockout groaned under the stress but without having to concentrate on driving, he was able to control the pain.

~#~

Back in KITT, Scrap groaned at the pain from wound, holding a large white bandage on her side while the car before her drove after the cybertronian. "Slag it, I haven't been shot in years. I forgot how much it hurts."

"I do have some powerful painkillers in my compartment…."

"No." She cut him off. "I need to keep my mind sharp for deactivating the bomb. Besides, believe it or not, I've had worse."

The car ran a scan on her systems again. "You are losing a lot of blood, Eleanor."

"You can call me Scrap KITT. Only call me El if I'm dying."

"Very well, Eleanor."

A frown came to her lips and held the bandage tighter. "Look, KITT, my life isn't important. What is, is stopping that bomb from going off. I would do anything to make sure that M.E.C.H. was taken down. I may not be very old but I have… done many things… things… someone my age shouldn't have done." She groaned again, pressing the bandage at her side tighter. "The whole reason I created the power source was because I was… trying to make amends for my mistakes." She rolled her head back against the seat. "I won't let M.E.C.H. harm anyone else with it."

"'Anyone else' Scrap?" KITT asked, his monotone voice with a clear twinge of confusion.

Scrap sighed as she looked out the window. "Years ago, M.E.C.H kidnapped me and tortured me for information on the Cybertionians. That's how they know about Energon and everything else. I told them." She screwed her eyes shut. "I've been paying the price ever since."

"You were only eighteen when you joined the Decepticons, with no training or back up. You could not have hoped to hold against them."

She gave a smile to the red and blue ball on the dashboard. "Thanks KITT. I just wish I could make myself believe that." Her side throbbed suddenly from the bleeding. "How far behind Knockout are we and how long do we have on the bomb?"

"Mike and Knockout are approximately 2 minutes ahead of us and there is less than 6 minutes left before the device overloads."

Fighting the pain, Scrap turned to the screen. "Mike!"

"We're getting there Scrap."

"And we're running out of time." She panted, holding her side. "I will need some time to… to get… get the…"

"Mike, Eleanor is suffering from a loss of blood and is beginning to lose consciousness."

Knockout suddenly swerved to the right. "Scrap!" He called.

The human back in the black mustang jumped up suddenly. "I'm fine." She groaned, leaning forwards a bit more. "Let's just… keep going. Knockout, I'll be fine, you've fixed me up worse than this. Just stop Carlos and get that device back."

"We're on it."

"Then hurry up. We don't have much time."

The line was cut and Knockout sighed. "Neither does she."

Mike was about to ask when the speed kicked up once again, even faster down the road before finally a blacked out jeep suddenly came into view. "What now then?"

Knockout groaned. "I still can't transform so weapons and alt mode are out. But I do have this." His glove box dropped open. "Scrap's always tinkering with her weapon but that was her first one. I kept it for… sentimental reasons."

"Nice." Mike chuckled as he reached out and took hold of the rough but elegant silver device, the blue glow from it clearly other worldly.

"Yeah. One shot of that and their car will shut down. But we have to get ahead of it first. Energon and gasoline… don't get on very well. If you hit the gas tank… that jeep is going to explode, taking the device with it." He groaned again. "I hate having to think things out. It was so much easier with the Cons. We'd shoot and not have to worry about what we hit." He chuckled. "That was the good old days."

"Dude, just get us ahead of the jeep."

"Oi, I'm not you AI." The car grumbled but all the same, kicked it up yet again. Mike gripped the wheel even tighter as they went on, skidding around turns and narrowly avoiding trees as they went before suddenly, the back windows of the jeep rolled down and two masked men began firing out at them. Fortunately, they appeared to be firing normal, human weapons. Mike grunted as Knockout pulled against him to avoid the shots. "You getting some control there Knock?"

"Feels that way." The car retorted, pulling again to avoid more of the gunfire.

"One driver is enough for me, you take the wheel Knockout." Mike lifted up the strange weapon in his hands and crawled over to the passenger side seat, nodded to the window as the gunfire stopped while they reloaded. "Get us alongside them now!"

"No durr."

Mike rolled his eyes. "God I miss KITT." He moaned while pulling himself out of the window to sit on the edge, reaching over the roof to the jeep. The M.E.C.H soldier at the window returned to shoot but Mike fired first. The dark blue energon blast collided with the front of the jeep and was swallowed by the metal. Almost instantly the whole engine shut down and the driver lost control, spinning sideways on the dirt track before becoming to a sudden stop with the side of a tree.

Mike still hanging from the passenger window, Knockout skidded to a stop near the jeep, forcing the SCC man to bang his head on the roof. "Ops, my bad."

Mike just groaned and climbed out, energon weapon raised as he approached the wreck of the jeep, ready for anything. He checked the back first and it was clear the two shooters were not walking away, slumped and bleeding on the back seats.

He checked the front passenger seat next and he came face to face with Carlos, bleeding from a cut down his forehead. The man gave a pain filled smile. "Well, well. You caught up with me. Not that you can do anything." He looked down at his lap.

Mike looked as well and spotted the large donut shape device Scrap had recreated. He cursed and looked back at Carlos but he was either dead or out cold. He didn't have time to think. "KITT, get Scrap here now. We have the device."

"We are less than a minute behind you but Scrap's condition is worsening."

"Is… not." The female voice groaned.

With KITT coming, Mike took the chance to pick up the device from Carlos's lap and place it on the floor just as KITT skidded carefully to the side, opening the door vertically. The blood covered shirt and bandage was a clear sign that the girl was not in a good condition.

Slumping out and holding the bandage, Scrap practically collapsed to her knees near the device. "Let me see."

"Kid, you are in no state to be…"

"Shut up Mike."

The red car rolled very close to her side, bumper almost touching her shoulder. "Scrap, you're hurt kid."

She leant against him, groaning. "Don't you start Knock." She mumbled, messing with the device, grabbing a small tool as she worked before suddenly stopping and swallowing. "Frag. It's passed decompression."

"What does that mean?"

She looked up with fear clear in her eyes. "It means we have less than two minutes. Then this is going to go explode."

~#~

Scrap continued to look over the device in her hands, watching as the glowing centre grew brighter with power and strength. "Knockout, how close are we to that energon vain?"

"Umm… not far."

"So if this goes off…"

"It would probably hit it the vein."

Scrap grunted as she tried to stand up, the device balanced on one hand, the other holding her wound. "Frag it, we got to get this thing away from here."

Mike was already holding her up and nodded to his black mustang. "We'll take KITT."

"Michael, judging from the information on the Energon vein, even at top speed, we would never be able to get out of range."

"And even if you could, by some miracle, it won't stop the explosion. KITT's nano-skin wouldn't be able to contain it." She grunted then looked at the red cybertronian.

Mike was running over and over the plan. "So what… can we do?"

"The only thing we can do it get it out of here."

"But neither Knockout nor KITT would be fast enough."

"Not on their own." Scrap panted, limping to Knockout and placing the device in the boot. "But Knockout and I can groundbridge it out of here."

Knockout shifted a little. "Scrap, I can do this on my own."

The human was already climbing into the driver's seat. "I'm not leaving you. We're a team, remember. In this together. To the end."

Mike grabbed the door before it could be closed. "What are you talking about?"

The red haired woman just stared at him before reaching out and grabbing his shirt, pulling him down and placing a quick kiss on his cheek. "Goodbye Mike."

With Mike pushed away, Knockout's rear wheels screamed for grip before finding it and he shot forwards towards open road before the swirling mass of green light opened before them and the pair shot into it before vanishing.

Mike ran for KITT, planning to follow them but then the groundbridge exploded in a ball of blue and green flames, burning the ground and vegetation surrounding where it had been. He panted in fear and ran over but the bridge was gone, leaving only a few small fires in its mark.

He turned at the sound of approaching vehicles and spotted an ambulance, a red and blue semi-truck as well as a small dark green monster truck. It was a strange group of cars but when they stopped, they clunked and clicked as they changed into their robot modes. Optimus looked over the scene first then frowned. "Where are Scrap and Knockout?"

"I don't know. We couldn't stop the bomb so they… they… they went into one of those… ground bridges and then… there was an explosion."

The prime turned to his CMO. "Ratchet, can you detect Knockout's signal?"

Checking his arm computer, Ratchet stared for a moment then shook his head. "I…  
I can't detect them anywhere on the planet."

"That doesn't mean they're…" Miko whimpered in concern.

Bulkhead shook his head. "Their transponders might just be damaged Miko."

"I want to help." Mike stepped forwards. "If there is anything I can do, just let me know."

Optimus turned and knelt down to his eye level. "I appreciate the offer, Mike, but you and KITT have already done more than we could request. We will find Knockout and Eleanor but you should return to your own people. Thank you, for helping us take down M.E.C.H.. We will be sure to inform you if we find anything."

Mike looked at the bot for a moment then over at the burn marks from where the ground bridge had been and the damage from the explosion.

~#~

Seven months had passed since KITT and Mike Knight had helped the strange robotic aliens called Cybertronians, helped the human called Eleanor that was also called 'Scrap' take down an organisation called M.E.C.H and since then, for the most part, everything had returned to normal. But as the pair sat at a very long red light, Mike sighed loudly.

"Michael, is something the matter?" KITT asked, breaking the silence that had fallen.

"I dunno KITT. I just… I keep thinking about Scrap. We haven't heard from Jack or the Bots and… we don't even know if they found her. She might still be dead." He shifted again. "She was just… something special."

"There was indeed something special about her. And Knockout."

Silence fell for a while as the red light changed and the pair went forwards, only to be stopped at the next cross road.

Mike just slapped the wheel with the palm of his hand. "What is with all these red lights? KITT, can't you do something about this?"

"Hacking into the traffic centre would be a felony. And I believe you should be more interested in the unusual energy signature coming up from behind us."

Checking the rear view mirror, Mike couldn't help but grin as a large red vehicle pulled up beside him, purring noisily before rolling down the tinted windows to reveal a red haired woman with a large pair of sunglasses sat on the driver's seat.

Casually she pulled the glasses down passed the brink of her nose to look over them, ginning like a nightmare. "These red lights a nightmare, don't you think?"

Mike chuckled at her. "Yeah, but you'd know all about that. You alight?"

She pushed the glasses back up her nose. "The explosion put both of us out for a few months. Spent two months in hospital and another four fixing Knockout here." She patted the wheel she was casually holding. "Luckily the bridge took us to Hawaii so it wasn't all that bad."

"Speak for yourself." Came the car's voice. "The heat faded my paint and don't get me started on the sand."

Scrap chuckled but then leant against the glass beside her as she looked over the road. "You know, about 5 miles from here there is a diner that does some of the best apple pie I have ever tasted." Running a hand back in her hair, she turned and looked at Mike. "No ground bridge, no turbo boost and no alt modes. Last one there buys?"

Mike gripped KITT's wheel. "You are so on."

"On the light then." She answered, turning to the wheel before touching her ear, Knockout's radio suddenly began to play a fast steady beat of music. Eyes on the lights, Mike felt the words in his heart, preparing him for the race.

_"__Get you where you wanna go, if you know what I mean._

_Got a ride that's smoother than a limousine."_

KITT and Knockout both revered their engines, showing the power and ferocity they both had. Mike gripped the wheel tighter as he listened over the roar.

_"__Can you handle the curves? Can you run all the lights?_

_If you can, baby boy, then we can go all night."_

The traffic light turned yellow but hovered for a moment.

_"__'Cause it's 0 to 60 in 3.5_

_Baby, you got the keys."_

The music stopped and the light turned green.

**_"_****_Now shut up and drive."_**

* * *

**_A/N: So, what do you think? _**

**_I'm sort of just glad its finally over, that it's finished. _**

**_Oh and BTW, the song was 'Shut up and Drive' by Rihanna_**

* * *

**_Don't forget to review! _**


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